Page 8 of Announcing Love (Sporting Pride #5)

Despite Artem agreeing to give him a second chance, Tip still had a knot in his stomach as he jogged up Artem’s front steps.

They were coming along strong, even though Artem hadn’t done more than let Tip kiss him since their falling out.

For the most part, he thought they would be okay, but then he had left town for two days and had gotten inside his own head.

This was the first two days they had gone in a row without seeing each other since Artem agreed to give him a second chance.

It was two days for Artem to think clearly without Tip to cloud his thoughts.

Now Tip didn’t know what would happen when he saw Artem again.

Maybe Artem would change his mind about them.

Tip was hyperaware of how unsettled things felt since he hadn’t been brave enough to try a second time to get Artem out of his clothes.

They had texted several times while he was gone, but Jathan probably texted with Artem every bit as much and that guy hated him.

So far, Jathan hadn’t convinced Artem to boot him to the curb, but he also didn’t know if that was even something they talked about.

Fuck, he couldn’t stand all these new insecurities.

In his defense, Tip hadn’t truly felt free to date another man while playing professional sports.

He had never hidden his sexuality, but he’d also never flaunted it.

Tip hadn’t wanted to be known for being gay and nothing else.

Now he was free, and he had this whole-ass relationship, and everything felt so real.

They had actually made it a full six weeks, and that was incredible. It was also terrifying.

Bandit answered the door. His goofy smile was exactly the relief Tip needed. “Hey, man. Come in. Artem will be down in a minute.”

Tip stepped inside. “Hey. How are you? I feel like I just saw you yesterday.”

Bandit laughed at his dumb joke. They had seen each other yesterday after Bandit’s Phoenix game.

Tip didn’t usually go out of town for games since he was the hometown announcer, but they had needed a fill-in, and Tip was pretty good at faking being impartial.

“Artem says you two are going to Arizona to look at some land.”

Tip nodded. “There’s a ranch for sale that I’m interested in.

I’d like to see the riding trails for myself and gauge if it would make a good investment for a vacation spot.

It took some begging to get Artem to agree to go with me, though.

He’s afraid missing a few days from work will have him struggling to make his car payment. ”

Confusion filled Bandit’s light blue eyes. “The SUV isn’t paid off?”

Sacha appeared just in time to catch the tail end of their conversation. “What SUV? Artem’s?”

Tip nodded.

Sacha looked horrified. “Well, shit. I’m a horrible big brother. He shouldn’t still be paying for that with nothing but his part-time job. I’ve been so busy with the new business; I forgot all about it.”

Bandit nodded along. “I’ll call the accountant.”

Relief poured through Tip. He hadn’t blatantly meddled, but he had known Bandit would take care of Artem.

But they also needed to change the subject before Artem turned up and caught Tip talking about his business.

“Speaking of your new venture, how is the cake thing going? I saw one of your creations at an event about a month ago. It was amazing. Artistic talent runs deep in this family.”

“Of course they’re talented. They’re my grandsons,” Baba called from the living room, obviously possessing the hearing of a bat.

Bandit and Sacha turned, leaving Tip a clear view of Baba on the couch and Artem coming down the stairs with his bag.

Baba was obviously emboldened by the attention.

“You should see my sketches. I used to have the most beautiful of men pose nude for me. Sometimes, I paid them in sexual favors.”

Bandit looked confused. “I thought you were already married by sixteen.”

Baba placed her hand over her chest dramatically. “Ah, yes. My handsome Borys. He was there too.”

An unexpected bark of laughter burst from Bandit.

Sacha looked as if he wished the floor would swallow him.

Artem froze at the bottom of the steps and covered his eyes. “Oh, dear god. Please don’t, Baba.”

Her wicked smile let Tip know Artem’s horror only emboldened her.

“Please. There’s nothing wrong with a little fun.

I have no idea how I ended up with such prudish grandsons.

Borys and I had so much fun. These boys, gah !

” She threw her hands up. “Well, Sacha not so much. You can hear him throughout the house when Bandit takes him to bed. But Artem, wow. I get that he’s saving himself or whatever, but a hoe phase is a good thing. I was a hoe for many years.”

Tip was dying.

Artem headed for the door. “On that note.” He walked out without looking back.

“Good god. She just said she had a hoe phase.” Sacha muttered the words under his breath while Tip fought for his life not to laugh.

“Well, I guess we should go if we’re going to catch our flight.”

“Yes. Go get my grandson. I have no doubt you’ll be the one who finally wears him down. You look like you can—”

“It was really good to see you,” Sacha yelled over whatever Baba said. He shoved Tip toward the door. “Have a great time and tell Artem I love him.” Tip was on the stoop with the door closed firmly behind him before he knew what had happened.

Artem stood at the bottom of the steps with his hands on his hips and staring up at the sky as if praying for God to take him now. Tip got it, but he also didn’t think Artem realized how lucky he was to have someone so fun in his life. No one in his family laughed about anything. They just mooched.

He made his way down the stairs and wrapped his arms around Artem. Tip pulled him back against his chest. “Don’t look so horrified. I think she’s great.”

“I’m not a prude.”

Tip wanted to laugh, but Artem sounded genuinely defeated. He had nothing to worry about. “No one as passionate as you are could be.”

“I haven’t been allowed to have a life.”

“I know.” He kissed Artem’s neck. “When you kiss me, I can taste your lust.” While lost in the moment, Tip’s hand automatically found Artem’s throat and held him in place.

He couldn’t wait to control him. His lips skimmed the shell of Artem’s ear.

“The sounds you make when I kiss you tell me everything I need to know.”

He felt more than heard Artem take a shaky breath.

Tip took a step back. “We have a flight to catch. I’m excited for you to see this place.”

Artem turned. A flush across the bridge of his nose and cheeks made his blue eyes pop. He was breathtaking. “Yeah. We should go.”

Tip didn’t know if he would make it until tonight.

This trip was more about having Artem alone and trapped over two thousand miles from home.

Artem couldn’t run. Tip could have made this trip alone and been back before the end of the day.

This was about them. It was time for Artem to know him for real and for Tip to stake his claim.

Artem expected to be a nervous wreck. He had spent several hours awake and worrying before Tip had shown. A small part of Artem wondered if he made a mistake. Tip had moments where he turned very intense, showing hints of something Artem didn’t quite understand. He wanted to see more, though.

Artem hadn’t flown many times in his life.

While Sacha had traveled nonstop for work, Artem had been the one trapped at home caring for Baba.

The two times he could recall flying, the plane had been loud and cramped, leaving him woefully unprepared to fly with Tip.

Tip had paid for everything, which pricked his pride and forced Tip to beg him not to make him go to Arizona alone.

Artem had finally relented, but he hadn’t expected first class luxury.

He was uncomfortable as hell. Artem felt out of place.

Tip, on the other hand, even in jeans and a t-shirt, looked like he was exactly where he belonged.

Their spacious seating didn’t make for easy conversation, so Artem just kind of sat there feeling awkward.

He was relieved as hell when the plane landed.

Tip grabbed his bag for him. “Why do you look so miserable?”

Artem tried to do better at faking it. Tip had obviously paid a lot for this trip. It was bad enough that Artem took advantage, but now Tip thought he was unhappy with his generosity. That didn’t stop his mouth from running ahead of his mind. “Sorry. I’m just feeling a little out of my depth.”

Tip’s open confusion made things worse. He couldn’t even see how much he did for Artem. “Why?”

“I’ve never flown first class.” Artem’s shoulders fell. He realized how terrible he sounded.

Tip’s expression cleared. “Oh. You’ll get used to it. Think about it. There’s no way I’m flying coach, so there’s no way you are. If you go somewhere with Sacha, do you really think he’ll choose coach now?”

Artem saw the way coach was stuffed like sardines. While it hadn’t been a horribly long flight, he bet it felt like it to them. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

Tip set Artem’s bag on his seat. The cabin door still hadn’t opened, but Artem moved to grab it so Tip wouldn’t get stuck carrying both bags.

Tip blocked him. He found his jaw held in Tip’s grip.

Artem might have been pissed as hell, but Tip’s expression was so fucking hot, Artem forgot to breathe, much less be angry.

“You’re mine now. Stop denying me the right to take care of you.

” His voice was hard, but Artem was oddly aroused.

Tip’s grip loosened, turning into a caress.

He kissed Artem like they weren’t surrounded by people.

Tip pulled away a hair and held Artem’s stare. “Okay?”

Artem had no clue what they were talking about.

Not once in his life had he felt this way.

This was it. He looked at that darker side of Tip and it was sexy as fuck.

Artem felt the way he did when he was mid piece and all the passion flowed from him, coming to life on canvas.

He stared at that secret something he had always had inside him that no one saw.

The door opened and Tip grabbed Artem’s bag like nothing had happened.

Artem followed in his wake, feeling more confused than he ever had before.

He didn’t feel the way he should. Artem should be furious over the manhandling.

Tip could be a little scary sometimes. Artem’s gaze moved down Tip’s body, enjoying the view.

He wanted to lick him. Tip had said Artem was his—like Tip owned him.

Why wasn’t he at the ticket counter, searching for a flight home?

Artem swallowed. It was because he wanted it.

Artem mused over it while waiting for Tip to get their rental car.

He questioned his sanity a little. Then Tip was back with all smiles and charm—like the guy the world usually saw.

The thing was, Artem knew both versions of Tip were real.

He was multi-faceted. Artem had to face a hard truth about himself.

He could have made time over the years for sex.

It wasn’t like it mattered to most men if they ever saw him for any other reason.

But everyone was just kind of meh to him and he had never understood why.

They weren’t Tip. He was unique. Tip had something Artem didn’t want to admit he craved.

“I’m hoping you’ll like this place. Right now, it’s a working ranch.

I’d love to turn it into a sort of bed-and-breakfast slash cowboy excursion for tourists.

They have a ton of riding trails and are set up for the venture with only renovations needed on the house to make it more hotel-like.

But the place belonged to an elderly man who passed about a year ago and his estate has kept the place running.

You know, paying staff to upkeep the animals and whatnot.

Now that everything has cleared probate, his family wants to sell, but they prefer a buyer who’ll keep the current staff.

That’s one of the biggest reasons I’m hoping the property looks as nice as the videos and pictures.

I want the place to run itself with little to no input from me.

The last thing I want is to try to find a crew to run it. ”

Artem nodded along. Tip sounded excited. He had a feeling this whole land ownership, investing thing was his second love behind soccer. “Does this mean I get to see horses today?”

A sexy smile flashed his way. “Absolutely. That’s one reason I wanted you with me.”

Artem fought the urge to hop in place. His excitement grew.

“I know it’s probably ridiculous to you, but when I was a kid, my dad used to take me riding.

We did it every summer. It was just this small place where you basically rode your horse in a circle.

But I was sixteen when he was killed and that’s something that died with him. ”

“Why would I find that ridiculous?”

Artem shrugged. “I never hear anyone sharing stories about spending time with their parents. Not in a good way, anyhow. Maybe it seems childish.”

“It’s never childish to love someone.”

Tip said the words so nonchalantly as he unlocked the SUV he rented. While he put the bags in the back, Artem stared at him. He wondered if Tip was his too. Maybe he was the only one expected to be faithful. Artem wanted Tip to belong to him. He needed to know this thing didn’t go one way.

“You said I’m yours. Are you mine?”

Tip closed the back of the SUV and turned. He didn’t look fazed by the question. Tip simply swiped his lips across Artem’s and then headed for the passenger side door. He held it open for Artem. “Of course. Get in.”

The ridiculous organ beating in his chest wasn’t satisfied. “Only mine?”

Something dark and hungry lit Tip’s eyes. His gaze swept down Artem’s body before meeting his stare again. “Yes.”

With a sharp nod, Artem got in the car. As long as they understood each other, Artem could relax a little. Artem wasn’t afraid of getting destroyed. He just didn’t want to be a fool while doing it.